GORAC Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- H.R. 824
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Government Operations and Politics
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-01-28: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Last Updated
- 2025-03-03T20:12:23Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The Government Office Realignment and Closure Act of 2025 (GORAC Act) aims to improve the efficiency of the federal government by requiring periodic evaluations of federal agencies and programs to identify and address duplicative, wasteful, or outdated functions. It seeks to recommend eliminations or realignments, propose legislation to implement these changes, and direct any resulting savings toward reducing the national debt.
Key Provisions
- Evaluation Process: The Comptroller General (the head of the Government Accountability Office, an independent agency that audits federal operations) must conduct an evaluation of all federal programs every 10 years, starting within one year of the Act's enactment. This involves hiring a non-federal auditor (an external, private entity) to perform the review and make recommendations, ensuring the work meets federal audit standards.
- Evaluation Criteria: The auditor recommends:
- Realigning overlapping agencies or programs into a single, streamlined entity if they serve the same core purpose.
- Eliminating or realigning agencies/programs that have wasted funds through excessive spending, poor resource management, or misuse for personal or special interest benefits over the prior 10 years.
- Eliminating agencies/programs that have fulfilled their purpose, become irrelevant, or failed to achieve goals.
- Note: Entitlement programs (automatic payment programs like Social Security, funded without annual appropriations) and military installations are exempt from evaluation.
- Reporting Requirements: The auditor submits a report with recommendations to the Comptroller General within one year of starting the evaluation. The Comptroller General then forwards this to Congress within 30 days, including supporting evidence and proposed legislation.
- Proposed Legislation: The Comptroller General drafts bills to enact the recommendations, stipulating that all savings go toward paying down the national debt. If employee positions are eliminated, agencies must make reasonable efforts to reassign affected workers to other federal roles.
- Investigative Powers: The auditor can request the Comptroller General to issue subpoenas for testimony, documents, or other evidence from federal entities to support the evaluation. Federal agencies must provide requested information, with court enforcement available for non-compliance.
- Congressional Fast-Track Procedures: Recommendations are packaged into an "implementation bill" introduced automatically in both the House and Senate by committee chairs. The bill cannot be amended and follows expedited rules:
- Referred to relevant committees, which have 15 days to report or be discharged.
- Floor debate limited to 10 hours, equally divided; no amendments, postponements, or referrals to other business.
- Immediate vote after debate; highly privileged motion to proceed.
- If one chamber passes its version first, the other considers it without committee review (with exceptions for revenue bills in the Senate).
- Definitions: Key terms include "federal agency" (executive branch entities, excluding military bases and pure entitlement administrators), "federal program" (agency activities, excluding entitlements), and "non-federal auditor" (the hired external entity).
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This Act introduces a mandatory, recurring evaluation framework not previously required by statute, shifting from ad-hoc reviews to a structured 10-year cycle. It mandates the use of external auditors for objectivity and creates a novel fast-track legislative process for implementation bills, overriding standard committee amendment powers and debate limits. Savings must exclusively reduce the national debt, a new directive not tied to prior efficiency laws like the Government Performance and Results Act. It also expands subpoena authority specifically for these evaluations, building on but tailoring the Comptroller General's existing powers under the Budget and Accounting Act of 1921.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Could lead to consolidations, closures, or eliminations of inefficient programs, potentially reducing bureaucracy and costs but disrupting operations and requiring workforce reallocations. Agencies may face increased scrutiny and mandatory cooperation during evaluations.
- On Citizens: Indirect benefits through fiscal savings applied to the national debt, which might stabilize long-term economic conditions (e.g., lower interest rates or reduced future taxes). However, program eliminations could affect services if they overlap with essential functions, though exemptions protect major benefit programs.
- On International Relations: Minimal direct impact, as the Act focuses on domestic executive agencies and excludes military elements; any foreign aid or international programs evaluated would prioritize efficiency without altering diplomatic commitments.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Comptroller General and Government Accountability Office: Responsible for overseeing evaluations, hiring auditors, and drafting legislation.
- Non-Federal Auditors: Private firms contracted to conduct independent reviews and recommendations.
- Congress: Gains expedited tools for considering reforms but loses flexibility in amending bills; committees like Oversight and Government Reform (House) and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (Senate) play key roles in introduction and referral.
- Federal Agencies and Employees: Subject to evaluation and potential restructuring; employees may face job losses but with relocation protections.
- Taxpayers and the Public: Benefit from potential waste reduction and debt paydown, though service disruptions could arise if programs are cut.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal Implications: Enhances accountability by granting subpoena powers enforceable in federal courts, potentially leading to litigation over "wasteful" determinations or employee rights during realignments. Exemptions for entitlements and military avoid challenges to core constitutional duties like defense or welfare provisions.
- Constitutional Implications: Explicitly invokes Congress's rulemaking authority under Article I, allowing each chamber to fast-track bills while preserving the right to alter rules later. This balances efficiency with separation of powers but could raise questions about bypassing bicameral norms if perceived as limiting minority input.
- Political Implications: The fast-track process may accelerate reforms favored by fiscal conservatives but frustrate opponents unable to amend bills, potentially polarizing debates on government size. As a bipartisan tool (introduced by Republicans but applicable broadly), it could influence future efficiency drives, though reliance on external auditors introduces risks of perceived bias in selections.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Van Duyne, Beth [R-TX-24]
Cosponsors (6)
Rep. Tenney, Claudia [R-NY-24], Rep. Fallon, Pat [R-TX-4], Rep. Gill, Brandon [R-TX-26], Rep. Weber, Randy K. Sr. [R-TX-14], Del. Moylan, James C. [R-GU-At Large], Rep. Donalds, Byron [R-FL-19]
Recent Actions
- 2025-01-28: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-01-28: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-01-28: Introduced in House
- 2025-01-28: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Government Office Realignment And Closure Act of 2025 — issued 2025-01-28 — PDF (14 pages)